IT Pro Impact: Windows Developer Road Map

Reports of Windows' demise in the enterprise have been greatly exaggerated. So says our InformationWeek Windows 8 survey of 975 business technology pros at companies with 500 or more employees. When asked about operating systems in use, 90% say they support Windows XP, and 81% run Windows 7; about half overall expect to migrate to Windows 8, though when we drill down, the numbers are greater on the server side vs. desktops and mobile. Still, new laptops will be shipping with the OS soon enough, and enterprise IT teams and developers should get familiar with the significant changes represented by the Metro-style touch-centric interface, by which Microsoft aims to bring the usability and interactivity of smartphone apps to desktops and laptops via live tiles, widgets and gadgets.

The good news for IT: Microsoft promises that anything that runs on Windows 7 will also run on Windows 8, making the transition easy—and maybe even worthwhile, given some slick new features. (S4000112)